Fish Curers of Harris

This small group are the only Fish Curers recorded in all the censuses from 1841 to 1901.

1851
Angus McDermid, 35, Fish Curer, Rodel, b. Harris

1861 and 1871 – None Listed

1881
Roderick Campbell, 42, Fish Curer, Strond, b. Harris

Lachlan Campbell, 45, Fish Curer, Fish Curer's House, North Harris, b. Harris
Malcolm Campbell, 58, General Merchant and Fish Curer, Carrigrich 58, b. Harris

1891
Roderick Campbell, 55, Fish Curer, Strond, b. Harris
John Campbell, 25, Fish Curer, Son, Strond, b. Harris

Kenneth Campbell, 49, General Merchant Fishcurer and Crofter, Scalpay No 27, b. Harris

1901
Kenneth Campbell, Merchant Fishcurer, No 34 Scalpay, b.

Given the dominance of Stornoway as the fish-processing centre it is perhaps surprising that even these few curers are found at all, but not that the first was in Rodel.

The apparent attempt at establishing fish curing on Harris towards the end of the Century is interesting but it appears that Roderick Campbell in the south was slightly more successful than the two northern 'mainland' Campbell curers. However, it is no surprise to find our final curer on Scalpay, an island renowned for its fishermen and other seafarers.

Roderick's eldest son, John Campbell, married Marion Kerr, the only child of Angus Kerr and Lexy Morrison of Rodel and, following the death of John's mother, he re-married and became a Farmer at Rodel.

In 1901 we find Roderick there together with his new wife Effy and their three children, plus two from his first marriage. There were 12 members of these Kerr and Campbell families in two separate households at Rodel.
There were another 37 people living in Rodel at the time.